


Love Letters and Bank Notes

by Maiika



Series: Old West AU [7]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, Chi-Chi and Yamcha are very good friends, Gen, Yamcha deserves love too, Yamcha still pining over Marzi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 16:38:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15368799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maiika/pseuds/Maiika
Summary: West City is growing, meaning more couples have found love.  But not Yamcha.  On a trip to the bank, he can't help noticing how surrounded he is by it.  For now he has another type of love, in the form of friends who really care.





	Love Letters and Bank Notes

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't read Tripping Over Air (the story in this series numbered right before this one), I suggest you might want to. You'll have more context that way. Without it, I believe you can still read and enjoy this too. Again, the actress mentioned here, Marzi, is @cozymochi's oc, who you can find all over her blog on tumblr :)

The bank was buzzing this late afternoon.  As Yamcha walked in with a purse of money in hand, tipping his hat at the guard in the entryway, registers rang and voices carried from the inside.    
  
Chi-Chi Son stood behind the partition of bars.  The iron bars were an addition which separated the cashier from the patrons anxious to restructure their bank accounts.  Between Saiyan citizens and the recent robbery, Mr. King had rebuilt and increased his bank’s security measures.  The bank was almost back to its former wealth.  Patrons were happy. Yamcha was certainly happy to feel the weight of coins in his palm and see bank notes in his name again.  
  
He eased forward, joining the queue behind Eighteen Gero.  Her blond hair was secured in a chignon, her dress a deep scarlet.  She’d been abandoning her gun-toting style more frequently since Krillin started courting her.  Yamcha still couldn’t believe how well _that match_ was working out – ex-sheriff and ex-criminal.  She held a letter in her hands.  Since Yamcha wasn’t going anywhere, he glanced over her shoulder to take a look at it while she read.  
  
Yamcha raised a brow when he noticed the address.  It addressed Eighteen in a personal manner.  As he scrolled through the first line, Yamcha felt his face flush with heat.  It was a very personal letter.  Filled with expressions of emotions Yamcha had never felt for anyone else, Yamcha felt it was wrong for him to see it.  He stepped back and averted his gaze to the banker’s window just as Eighteen sighed wistfully in front of him.  Krillin was probably more romantic with the ex-criminal than Yamcha could ever be with a woman.  He thought of the beautiful actress who’d disappeared from town just as quickly as she’d appeared.  He thought of Bulma, and what might have been.  But then he thought of Vegeta, and how _they_ were together.  No, Bulma hadn’t been right for Yamcha; he knew it as well as she did.  
  
The line moved forward.  Yamcha scratched his neck as he stepped behind Eighteen, who was now folding her letter, casting a suspicious glare around the room as if she’d been reading a conspiracy to rob this bank rather than a devoted love letter.  She probably didn’t even realize how lucky she was.  She had no idea what a man in search of love like Yamcha had to endure, watching everyone else around him find someone while he was still alone.  When Eighteen’s blue eyes met his, Yamcha forced a smile.  Eighteen scoffed before turning forward, putting her chignon in Yamcha’s face.  Yamcha didn’t know how Krillin had come to love that woman.  She was cold as ice to _him_.  But at least his friend was happy.    
  
“Hey!” Goku’s voice shouted from the bank entrance, the door slamming shut as everyone looked up.  “Chi-Chi!”  
  
“Goku!” Chi-Chi hissed at Goku as he raced past the line, “get in the back of the line!”  
  
Goku balked, his feet slowing.  “But Chi-Chi...I’m not here to make a deposit.”  
  
Chi-Chi placed her hands on her hips.  “I _know_ you’re not.”  Her eyes went wide.  “Where’s Gohan?”  
  
As Eighteen groaned in front of him, Yamcha saw Goku continue his way to the front of the line, beaming.  Yamcha sighed.  This was going to be a longer wait than he thought.  
  
“He was supposed to be with you, Goku,” Chi-Chi said.  
  
“He was,” Goku said, bracing a hip against Chi-Chi’s counter and nodding recognition at everyone waiting in the line, as if they weren’t all glaring at him.  “I left him at the stables with Kinto’un.”  
  
Chi-Chi looked relieved.  “He’s feeding him?  Doing all his chores?”  
  
Goku nodded and hummed.  “So, mind if I ride out with Vegeta for a little while?”  
  
“Vegeta?” Chi-Chi scoffed.  “That man?  No way.  I know what you’ll be doin’.”  
  
“Aw, so what?” Goku said as Chi-Chi tried to wave Mr. Kami to the front of the line.  “We won’t hurt nobody.”  
  
Chi-Chi rolled her eyes and took the bag of coins from the old man eyeing Goku, paying more attention to Mr. Kami than Goku when she muttered, “won’t have my husband shootin’ off guns just for his enjoyment like some sort of hooligan.  Thinks it’s _fun_.”  
  
“But it is fun,” Goku protested as Chi-Chi counted coins.  
  
“A-are you sure you should do that?” Mr. Kami said to Chi-Chi, reaching for his coins on the counter.  “I can wait.”  
  
“What _for_?” Chi-Chi snapped, continuing to count before shooting Goku a glare.  
  
Yamcha grimaced.  Seeing married couples interact always reminded him that marriage wasn’t the dream he’d like to think it was.    
  
“C’mon, Chi-Chi,” Goku said.  “Just this one time.”  
  
In front of Yamcha, Eighteen groaned.  “To hell with this.”  
  
She slid out of the line, her red skirts trailing a gentle rush of air past Yamcha as the door opened behind him.  Yamcha was next in line now.  Mr. Kami’s transaction had to be nearly completed.  Yamcha didn’t know if she wanted to be in the line of fire like the poor old man in front of him currently was.  Chi-Chi could be scary when she got angry.  Maybe he’d better follow Eighteen Gero’s lead and hightail it out of this bank before it was too late.  
  
“Here’s your deposit ticket, Mr. Kami,” Chi-Chi said, raising her chin and avoiding Goku’s eyes.  “Your account’s in good standing again.  My father appreciates you continuing banking here.”  
  
Yamcha gritted his teeth.  Mr. Kami was taking his ticket, turning with a nod.  Yamcha was front and center, and when Chi-Chi smiled past Mr. Kami at him, Yamcha realized he had nowhere to go.  He looked to Goku, pleading.  His friend had to help him out.  He just wanted to make a deposit today, not end up in the middle of a marital dispute.  Goku didn’t seem to notice Yamcha’s look.  His gaze was fixed intently on Chi-Chi, his brows furrowing at her lack of answer.  He smiled, likely trying to coerce a smile from her.  Yamcha shook his head.  
  
“Hello, Sheriff,” Chi-Chi said, summoning Yamcha forward.  
  
“I know Vegeta will be real disappointed if I don’t go,” Goku said before Chi-Chi raised a brow at him.  “I don’t think Bulma will let him go without me.”  
  
Yamcha snickered.  The idea of a man like Vegeta needing permission to go anywhere was almost unbelievable.  But then, he knew Bulma.  
  
“Besides,” Goku continued, “I was hopin’ to take you out there later.”  
  
With a sharp gasp, Chi-Chi withdrew her wanton fingers from Yamcha’s penny pouch.  “You - you wanted to take me shootin’ with you?”  
  
“Yeah.  Why not?”  
  
A smile spread across Chi-Chi’s pretty face.  “Oh, Goku!”  
  
“Would that be okay?” Goku asked, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
“Of course it would!  Just you and me, out in the wilderness,” Chi-Chi said breathily.  
  
“Great!  So that means it’s fine if I practice first today?”  
  
Chi-Chi waved her hand and peered into Yamcha’s pouch.  “Sure, that’s fine.  Shoot us something good I can cook for dinner, okay?”  
  
“Sure!”  Goku pecked Chi-Chi on the cheek and turned for the door, raising his hand in salute at Yamcha.  “See ya, Yamcha!”  
  
Chi-Chi looked up sharply, beaming toward the door.  “Bye, Sweetheart!”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“Oh,” Chi-Chi said, her face reddening as she glanced at Yamcha, “you know. Don't make me say it again.”  
  
With a considerate hum, Goku was gone.  Yamcha heard the door shut behind him as the footsteps thrummed outside.  He was alone with Chi-Chi now, though Mr. King was likely in the back.  He never left this place during open hours.  Yamcha glanced at his money, unmoving and nothing happening to it beyond the point where Chi-Chi had spread it across the wooden counter.  His gaze followed her stilled hands, up her arms, past the frilled neckline of her purple dress to the faraway gaze in her dark eyes.  
  
Yamcha cleared his throat.  “Uh, Chi-Chi?”  
  
Chi-Chi sighed and clasped her hands together. “He’s so romantic, isn’t he?”  
  
Yamcha raised a brow.  “Goku?”  
  
As Chi-Chi hummed and nodded, Yamcha began to feel uncomfortable.  He could tell that to Chi-Chi, Goku was romantic.  That was all that really mattered.  Yamcha was happy for her. It was ironic to him now.  Back when he was courting Bulma and Goku hadn’t entered this town yet, he’d been concerned about Chi-Chi ending up as an old maid someday. Instead, _she’d_ been the first to be married, the first with a child, the first truly content with the life she’d settled on here.  And now Yamcha was standing before her, unmarried and envious of what she had.  
  
“Yamcha,” Chi-Chi said, blinking out of her lovestruck stupor, “what’s wrong?”  
  
“Oh,” Yamcha laughed, rubbing his head, “nothing!  Nothing, Chi-Chi.  Just need to get back on duty, you know.  A sheriff never rests.”  
  
She started counting the money, eyeing Yamcha.    “That’s not it.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Yamcha,” Chi-Chi said slowly, reaching for a pen and drawing the ledger toward her, “we’re friends.  You can talk to me.  What’s really bothering you?”  
  
Yamcha sighed.  He shifted.  He didn’t know if he was ready to get into this.  It might only upset him more, talking about not having his special someone to a woman who was happily married.  Maybe he’d be better off letting off some steam down the road at Champ’s. Maron never seemed to mind letting him talk, though she never seemed to understand what he was talking about, either.  When Yamcha looked into Chi-Chi’s eyes, she was glaring at him, impatient.  
  
“Chi-Chi...”  
  
“Talk.”  
  
Yamcha pressed his lips together.  He supposed it would be good to confess his feelings to someone who might have something of value to say about it.  Chi-Chi _was_ his friend. Besides, judging by the look on her face, Chi-Chi wasn’t going to give him any other choice.  
  
“Okay,” Yamcha said, running his fingers through the length of his ponytail draped over his shoulder.  “Do you remember, ‘bout a week ago, the actress and director who passed through town?”  
  
Chi-Chi nodded.  “The stagecoach.  We could use some theater out here, as long as it’s not anything too risqué.”  
  
“I doubt she’d perform anything _risqué_ ,” Yamcha said, his lip twitching in a smile as he remembered Marzi’s awkward mannerisms.  
  
“Oh,” Chi-Chi breathed, “you’re in love with the actress.”  
  
“Love?” Yamcha balked.  “I wouldn’t say that.  We only met briefly.  But...we had a moment.”  
  
“So why’re you sad?” Chi-Chi said, leaning her elbows on the counter and smiling up at Yamcha.  “It’s good to love someone.”  
  
“It’s not-“ Yamcha stopped himself, knowing there was no point in arguing with Chi-Chi about whether what he felt was love or not.  “I see you with Goku, and Bulma and Vegeta, Krillin and Eighteen, Dr. and Mrs. Brief...I just worry I might never have that.”  
  
“Oh, Yamcha,” Chi-Chi said, her brows bowing sympathetically as she reached across the counter and patted Yamcha’s shoulder.  “You’re handsome, you’re sweet, you’re the _sheriff_.  For cryin’ out loud, you’re the most eligible bachelor in the West.  Any woman would be lucky to have you.”  
  
“Then why do I feel doomed to be alone?” Yamcha said, a dark mood falling over him.  
  
“Oh, no,” Chi-Chi said, clutching the counter with a deep frown, before she made her way past the segregating bars to meet Yamcha’s side.  “Yamcha, come here.”

Yamcha frowned at her.  “What?”

She spread her arms open and nodded.  “How about a hug, hm?”

Yamcha looked around, grimacing at the thought of anyone witnessing Chi-Chi’s pity party.  “Chi-Chi.”

She didn’t listen.  Fortunately, they _were_ alone, because Chi-Chi wrapped her slender arms around Yamcha before he could object further.  Yamcha initially tensed when her head touched his shoulder.  This was embarrassing, even without anyone around to see them.  He had to admit, though, the warmth and hold of the hug was nice.  As Chi-Chi’s hand stroked his back, Yamcha smiled and relaxed.  It felt very nice, actually.  He wondered if this was what Gohan experienced every time his mother coddled him.  Yamcha grunted.

He pulled back, furrowing his brows as he looked into Chi-Chi’s eyes.  “Are you _mothering_ me?”

“No,” Chi-Chi said defensively, before a smile crept across her lips.  “I’m being a friend.  You’d do the same for me.”

Yamcha’s lips twitched into a smile.  He embraced Chi-Chi in a bear hug, hearing the reward of air expelling from her lungs.  “Yeah, I would.  Thanks, Chi-Chi.”

He released her, pressing Chi-Chi away by the shoulder as he gave her a genuine smile.  Chi-Chi’s tight-lipped smile grew as she touched his hand on her shoulder and bowed away from him.  By the time Chi-Chi made her way back around to her side of the counter, Yamcha had forgotten all about his reason for being here.  It still bothered him that he was alone with no bride in sight, but at least he had friends here who genuinely loved him.  He tipped his hat, unable to grasp words of appreciation worthy of this moment.  Yamcha turned for the door, finding a silhouette just approaching the doorway, judging by the movement of the shadow on the other side.

“Yamcha!” Chi-Chi called.  “Don’t forget your deposit ticket.”

“Oh,” Yamcha said as he turned, “yeah, thank you.”

He reached for the ticket, grasped the course paper between his fingers, and found himself unable to pull it as he tried to turn away.  He froze and turned back to Chi-Chi.  Her fingers were pinched tight around the other end of the ticket.

She pursed her lips.  “You’re not doomed to be alone, you hear me?  The right girl will come along at the right time.  Just like Goku did for me.”

Yamcha gulped, but smiled as he slipped the ticket from Chi-Chi’s fingers.  Before he could respond, he heard the creak of the door behind him opening with the arrival of a new bank patron.  Knowing they were no longer alone, Yamcha gave Chi-Chi a nod, thanking her with his eyes better than he could with any words.  Footsteps approached, stopping right behind him.  Yamcha tapped the gun at his holster, recalling the dangerous vagrants likely to enter a bank as he turned around.  He was relieved to find Dr. Brief behind him, his lips pulled up in a bright and cheery smile beneath his moustache.

“Howdy, Dr. Brief,” Yamcha said.

“Why, good afternoon, Sheriff Yamcha, Mrs. Son.”

“Here to make a deposit today, Doctor?” Chi-Chi asked as Dr. Brief brushed past Yamcha.

Yamcha sighed as he reached for the door and swung it open, exposing himself to the outside again.  As he stepped out of the bank, he glanced up and down West City’s main street.  There was no incoming stagecoach, no mystery woman wandering through town.  But there was always a chance of it.  Chi-Chi was right. 

One day, it would happen for him, too.


End file.
